1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a support device for an openable closure member such as an engine hood of a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well known in the art, an automotive engine hood is arranged to be opened for the purposes of inspecting the engine room, replenishing cooling water and/or engine oil, changing parts, making repairs, and so forth, and it is also arranged to be kept in its open position by means of an erectable support rod.
Conventionally, a metal rod has been widely employed as such a support rod, but it has the below-mentioned drawbacks.
The conventional support rod, since it is made of metal, is heavy and tends, when striking with the automotive body panel, to leave scars which are very likely to cause rust. Moreover, the metal rod has turned out to be expensive in that its manufacture involves surface treatment steps for anticorrosion.
Another disadvantage is such that the aforementioned conventional metal rod is heated up to a considerably high temperature by the engine heat. The metal rod is often too hot to be gripped by hand when one attempts to keep the engine hood open for inspecting the engine room immediately after the motor vehicle has been stopped.